Are Ukraine's reforms breaking its state capture? An agenda for genuine change. Issue 6 (1st November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aslund, Anders
• Is Part Of: Eurasian geography and economics. Volume 57:Issue 6(2016)
• Page Start: 819
• Page End: 833
• Publication Date: 2016-11-01
• Subjects: Ukraine -- economic reform -- fiscal adjustment -- tax reform -- energy reform; Geography -- Periodicals; Economics -- Periodicals; Former Soviet republics -- Geography -- Periodicals; Former Soviet republics -- Economic conditions -- Periodicals; Eurasia -- Geography -- Periodicals; Eurasia -- Economic conditions -- Periodicals; 910.5
• DOI: 10.1080/15387216.2016.1250223
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1538-7216

Abstract

Abstract: Ukraine is one of a handful of post-communist countries that has a lower Gross Domestic Product today than in 1990, according to the World Bank. The problem is that it has seen too little reform. The country has experienced three serious periods of reform, but none has been as important as the reforms of 2015. The big question is whether Ukraine has finally broken out of persistent state capture. This paper by long-lasting Ukraine-watcher Anders Åslund suggests that Ukraine has carried out greater economic reforms than ever before with the unification of energy prices, large budget cuts, floating exchange rates, halved payroll tax, and a major bank purge. Yet, the question remains whether Ukraine has really broken out of state capture and whether it will be able to turn to a steady course of high economic growth of 5–7% a year.